Two weeks later, Sokov received a call from Malinin, asking him to take members of the headquarters to the location of the front army headquarters to participate in the upcoming military meeting.
On the way, Sidorin curiously asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, tell me, what are the topics discussed in this military meeting? Will it have anything to do with the next combat plan?"
"That's for sure, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov, who knew it well, nodded and replied affirmatively: "We have stayed here for too long, and we really should consider moving."
"What about the active direction?" Sidorin asked, "Will it be the direction of Yin Liqi?"
Regarding Sidorin's question, Sokov smiled and said nothing. He felt that it was still necessary to wait for Malinin to announce the main attack direction at the meeting.
But Ponedelin is an old commander after all. He has rich command experience and knows how to watch people's actions. He looked at Sokov's expression and said to Sidorin who was sitting in the co-pilot seat: "Comrade Chief of Staff, is it possible? You still don’t understand that our next main attack direction has been told to you by Comrade Commander some time ago.”
"The commander told me the direction of the attack some time ago?" Sidorin was stunned for a moment when he heard what Poniejlin said, and then a shocked expression appeared on his face: "Oh my God, I wouldn't really choose the swamp. area, launch a main attack on the enemy? That would be incredible."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, since you feel incredible, then the enemy is even more unimaginable." Ponejelin said thoughtfully: "I think attacking from this direction, no matter whether it is successful or not, can at least have the effect of surprise." The effect was to catch the Germans off guard."
Sidorin still felt dubious about Ponedelin's statement. He turned to look at Sokov and asked: "Comrade Commander, is everything the deputy commander said true?"
"I didn't say anything. It's all your own wild guesses."
Although Sokov did not admit that the direction of attack he mentioned some time ago was the main attack direction of the front troops, from the tone of his words, Sidorin could confirm that this must be true. But before the official announcement, continuing to discuss the front army's next battle plan would involve leaking secrets. Naturally, Sidorin would not make such a low-level mistake, so he said nothing.
Entering the venue, Sokov saw a long table facing the door. Rokossovsky sat in the center of the table, Malinin sat on his right, and Military Commissar Lieutenant General Telekin sat left.
Since the station was too far away from the front army headquarters, when Sokov and others arrived, the conference room was almost full. The three of them finally found seats for themselves and sat on the bench in the last row facing the table. superior.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Ma Lining stood up, with a smile on his face, and said in a loud tenor: "Hello, comrades, commanders!"
Sokov felt that Malinin was very excited, maybe because of the large-scale military situation that was about to unfold, which made him a little unable to control his emotions, so that his voice became trembling with excitement.
"I am very happy, comrades, commanders of the First Belarusian Front." Malinin did not say anything nonsense, but said straightforwardly: "I can summon you here for a meeting today. It is to announce to you the next step of the Front. Combat plan..." He picked up the document on the table, unfolded it and read it to the commanders present.
When he heard that the battle plan read out by Malinin was roughly the same as the battle plan Sokov had assumed some time ago, Sidorin couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise. The next moment, he touched Sokov with his elbow. When the latter turned his head towards him, he asked softly: "Comrade Commander, did you already know about this combat plan?"
"I am also listening to the front army's chief of staff announce the specific combat plan: "But the initial idea of this combat plan was proposed by me. "
"Oh, that's it, that's it." Sidorin's heart was filled with shock. He never dreamed that such a huge combat plan was actually proposed by Sokov first. I thought that the other party had heard something from Rokossovsky, so he knew some of the contents of the battle plan, but I didn't expect that he was the initiator of the plan.
On the side, Ponejelin showed a knowing smile when he knew that Sokov had proposed the attack plan. He felt that following such a commander was indeed his most correct choice.
After assigning combat tasks to each group army, the military meeting was declared over.
When the three Sokovs walked outside, they were stopped by someone from behind: "General Sokov, Colonel Sidorin!"
Sokov and Sidorin turned around and looked back, and found that the person calling them was Chuikov, the commander of the 8th Guards Army. Both of them were Chuikov's subordinates during the Battle of Stalingrad. Even though Sokov's military rank is the same as Chuikov's now, he still showed due respect for his former superior.
Ponejelin said to the two people standing against the wall: "It seems that you have met an old friend. I will wait for you in the car. You can stay and slowly reminisce with General Chuikov."
Sokov originally wanted Ponedelin to stay with him, but then he thought about it. Ponedelin's current status is rather embarrassing. I'm afraid that he would have nothing to say when he saw Chuikov. It would be better to let him go first. After getting back in the car and waiting to avoid him being embarrassed, he readily agreed to let the other party leave.
Chuikov followed the crowd and came to Sokov and Sidorin. He shook hands with them one by one and said with a smile: "General Sokov, I really didn't expect that in less than two years, your level will be improved." Just like me.”
"General Chuikov," Sokov replied with a smile: "You know, after the Battle of Stalingrad, I almost always commanded operations on the battlefield and made some achievements, so the promotion speed was naturally faster."
"You, you," Chuikov pointed at Sokov and said, "You basically direct operations on the battlefield. Do I just stay in the rear and sleep?"
He turned his eyes to Sidorin and stretched out his hand: "And you, Comrade Sidorin. It's been more than a year, and you haven't thought about returning to the army. Every time your son sees me, , all ask you if you have been here. Tell me, how should I answer him?"
Hearing Chuikov mention his son, Sidorin asked curiously: "How is little Sidorin doing now? Is he still working as a messenger for you?" Two weeks later, Sokov received a call from Malinin asking him to He took members of the headquarters to the location of the front army headquarters to attend the upcoming military meeting.
On the way, Sidorin curiously asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, tell me, what are the topics discussed in this military meeting? Will it have anything to do with the next combat plan?"
"That's for sure, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov, who knew it well, nodded and replied affirmatively: "We have stayed here for too long, and we really should consider moving."
"What about the active direction?" Sidorin asked, "Will it be the direction of Yin Liqi?"
Regarding Sidorin's question, Sokov smiled and said nothing. He felt that it was still necessary to wait for Malinin to announce the main attack direction at the meeting.
But Ponedelin is an old commander after all. He has rich command experience and knows how to watch people's actions. He looked at Sokov's expression and said to Sidorin who was sitting in the co-pilot seat: "Comrade Chief of Staff, is it possible? You still don’t understand that our next main attack direction has been told to you by Comrade Commander some time ago.”
"The commander told me the direction of the attack some time ago?" Sidorin was stunned for a moment when he heard what Poniejlin said, and then a shocked expression appeared on his face: "Oh my God, I wouldn't really choose the swamp. area, launch a main attack on the enemy? That would be incredible."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, since you feel incredible, then the enemy is even more unimaginable." Ponejelin said thoughtfully: "I think attacking from this direction, no matter whether it is successful or not, can at least have the effect of surprise." The effect was to catch the Germans off guard."
Sidorin still felt dubious about Ponedelin's statement. He turned to look at Sokov and asked: "Comrade Commander, is everything the deputy commander said true?"
"I didn't say anything. It's all your own wild guesses."
Although Sokov did not admit that the direction of attack he mentioned some time ago was the main attack direction of the front troops, from the tone of his words, Sidorin could confirm that this must be true. But before the official announcement, continuing to discuss the front army's next battle plan would involve leaking secrets. Naturally, Sidorin would not make such a low-level mistake, so he said nothing.
Entering the venue, Sokov saw a long table facing the door. Rokossovsky sat in the center of the table, Malinin sat on his right, and Military Commissar Lieutenant General Telekin sat left.
Since the station was too far away from the front army headquarters, when Sokov and others arrived, the conference room was almost full. The three of them finally found seats for themselves and sat on the bench in the last row facing the table. superior.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Ma Lining stood up, with a smile on his face, and said in a loud tenor: "Hello, comrades, commanders!"
Sokov felt that Malinin was very excited, maybe because of the large-scale military situation that was about to unfold, which made him a little unable to control his emotions, so that his voice became trembling with excitement.
"I am very happy, comrades, commanders of the First Belarusian Front." Malinin did not say anything nonsense, but said straightforwardly: "I can summon you here for a meeting today. It is to announce to you the next step of the Front. Combat plan..." He picked up the document on the table, unfolded it and read it to the commanders present.
When he heard that the battle plan read out by Malinin was roughly the same as the battle plan Sokov had assumed some time ago, Sidorin couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise. The next moment, he touched Sokov with his elbow. When the latter turned his head towards him, he asked softly: "Comrade Commander, did you already know about this combat plan?"
"I am also listening to the front army's chief of staff announce the specific combat plan: "But the initial idea of this combat plan was proposed by me. "
"Oh, that's it, that's it." Sidorin's heart was filled with shock. He never dreamed that such a huge combat plan was actually proposed by Sokov first. I thought that the other party had heard something from Rokossovsky, so he knew some of the contents of the battle plan, but I didn't expect that he was the initiator of the plan.
On the side, Ponejelin showed a knowing smile when he knew that Sokov had proposed the attack plan. He felt that following such a commander was indeed his most correct choice.
After assigning combat tasks to each group army, the military meeting was declared over.
When the three Sokovs walked outside, they were stopped by someone from behind: "General Sokov, Colonel Sidorin!"
Sokov and Sidorin turned around and looked back, and found that the person calling them was Chuikov, the commander of the 8th Guards Army. Both of them were Chuikov's subordinates during the Battle of Stalingrad. Even though Sokov's military rank is the same as Chuikov's now, he still showed due respect for his former superior.
Ponejelin said to the two people standing against the wall: "It seems that you have met an old friend. I will wait for you in the car. You can stay and slowly reminisce with General Chuikov."
Sokov originally wanted Ponedelin to stay with him, but then he thought, Ponedelin’s current status is rather embarrassing, and I’m afraid he won’t have anything to say when he sees Chuikov, so it’s better to let him go first. After getting back in the car and waiting to avoid him being embarrassed, he readily agreed to let the other party leave.
Chuikov followed the crowd and came to Sokov and Sidorin. He shook hands with them one by one and said with a smile: "General Sokov, I really didn't expect that in less than two years, your level will be improved." Just like me.”
"General Chuikov," Sokov replied with a smile: "You know, after the Battle of Stalingrad, I almost always commanded operations on the battlefield and made some achievements, so the promotion speed was naturally faster."
"You, you," Chuikov pointed at Sokov and said, "You basically direct operations on the battlefield. Do I just stay in the rear and sleep?"
He turned his eyes to Sidorin and stretched out his hand: "And you, Comrade Sidorin. It's been more than a year, and you haven't thought about returning to the army. Every time your son sees me, , all ask you if you have been here. Tell me, how should I answer him?"
Hearing Chuikov mention his son, Sidorin asked curiously: "How is little Sidorin doing now? Is he still working as a messenger for you?" Sokov originally wanted Ponijelin to stay with him. But then I thought about it, Ponejelin's current status was rather embarrassing, and I was afraid that he would have nothing to say when he saw Chuikov. It would be better to let him go back to the car and wait, so as not to embarrass him, so he readily agreed to leave.
Chuikov followed the crowd and came to Sokov and Sidorin. He shook hands with them one by one and said with a smile: "General Sokov, I really didn't expect that in less than two years, your level will be improved." Just like me."
